


Induction

by rubyofkukundu



Category: Original Work
Genre: Afterlife, Ghosts, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-15
Updated: 2010-03-15
Packaged: 2017-12-07 04:31:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/744285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubyofkukundu/pseuds/rubyofkukundu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Craig has to come to terms with his new life as a ghost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Induction

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 35 minutes for the prompt: Ghosts.
> 
> Originally posted here: <http://petitte-soeur.livejournal.com/96873.html>

A terrible car crash, extensive injuries and a hospital stay; and five days later Craig finds himself watching his own funeral. It's not really anything like he expected, but then, he hadn't really expected anything. Not when he was this young.  
  
Richard's taking it pretty hard. Craig should be touched, but he's not really; he's sad instead. Immensely sad that he's never going to be able to speak to Richard again; never going to be able to hug him and tell him that everything's going to be ok. Because it's not going to be ok. It's really not.  
  
The wake's been going for a few hours now, but people are still talking and eating. Not many of the guests have noticed, but Richard's slipped off for some time on his own. Craig watches him wander out aimlessly into the garden, and Craig sits down beside him on the small brick wall as Richard puts his head in his hands.  
  
Craig tries to rub Richard on the shoulder, but his fingers pass straight through. For a moment, Craig thinks that he's going to be overwhelmed by his own frustration. Is this really all that he can do from now on?  
  
He's just contemplating on the uselessness of it all, when a voice behind him says, "'Ello, sugar."  
  
Craig jumps and turns around to find a scruffy-haired man grinning at him, for all the world, like nothing's wrong.  
  
"Are you talking to me?" asks Craig. Five days without being able to converse with someone and it almost feels like he's forgotten how.  
  
The man gives him a long look. "Well you're a cute one, ain'tcha."  
  
Craig's surprise at the whole situation must be showing on his face because the man smirks at him and sits down beside him on the wall. "Yeah, I'm talking to you, boy. I'm 'ere on business. John's the name," and he holds out his hand for Craig to take.  
  
Craig shakes it, reluctantly, and then turns back to see that Richard hasn't shown any signs of hearing their conversation, and is still looking as melancholy as ever. "Look," Craig says, "I don't really have any time for this at the moment, ok? Can you leave me alone?"  
  
John scratches at the stubble on his chin. "No can do, I'm afraid. I'm on strict instructions. From now on, you'll be under my guidance."  
  
"I'm not interested," says Craig.  
  
"Not interested?" John casts an eye over Richard and sighs. "You're still sore, right? Don't worry about 'im. He'll get over it."  
  
"He'll get over it?!" Craig bristles. "And how am I supposed to feel? Left here like this?"  
  
A hand is placed on Craig's arm. "It hurts, I know," says John, "but you're lucky if you ask me. At least it's legal now. At least he can grieve for you without worrying about how it looks to 'is neighbours."  
  
Craig looks at his new acquaintance, and for the first time, realises that he must be a person just like himself. Someone who was taken from the world too early. "Sorry," says Craig. "You're dead too, aren't you."  
  
John beams at him, "Look 'ere," and he pulls down his collar to reveal a string of nasty bruises around his neck. "Hanged, I was."  
  
Craig gasps. "Hanged?! Why?"  
  
John shrugs, "Stealing a sheep or some fucking thing. I don't remember too well, it was so fucking long ago!"  
  
Craig doesn't really know what to say to that, so instead he just settles for, "Sorry," again.  
  
John grins at him. "No problem, petal. Now, we've got lots of work to do if we're going to get you doing some proper ghosting and all that. Lot's of training... and filling in forms, but I'll handle that side of things for now, so don't you worry."  
  
Craig looks back to Richard. "...Ghosting?"  
  
"Yeah, this is the real deal, my boy. You've got a steep learning curve ahead of you, let me tell you." He smiles sympathetically. "Look, you come with me now, so we can get your induction underway, and I'll let you come back and give your old man there a bit of a haunting tomorrow, free of charge," he taps his nose with his forefinger. "What do you say?"  
  
"Er," Craig hesitates, but he has the overwhelming feeling that he doesn't have a choice in this either way. "Sure," he says.  
  
John winks at him. "Good lad," he says, "I've already got you booked on a 'haunting at heights' health and safety course this afternoon, so we'd better be off if we're to get you there on time," and with that, Craig is whisked away and off to start his new career.


End file.
